Palestinian Hunger Strikers Lives at Risk

Israeli Prison Doctor Fears for Lives of Palestinian Hunger Strikers
01 May, 2012 – POMED

Earlier this month, the Israeli Prison Service reported that an estimated 2,000 Palestinian prisoners began a hunger strike on April 17. As of yesterday, more than 15 prisoners have been transferred to Israeli hospitals due to sever deterioration in health.

Yesterday, Israeli Prison Service doctor said that four Palestinian prisoners are in critical condition. Bilal Diyab, Tha’er Halahla, Omar Abu Shlal, three of the four prisoners said to be in critical condition, are administrative detainees sentenced to prison on a Shin Bet order. The fourth prisoner, Muhammad Siksak, is from the Gaza Strip and was detained after being labeled a “illegal combatant” by Israeli Authorities. The prisoners demand to be tried for their crimes or released. Bilal Diyab and Tha’er Halahla have gone 63 days without eating.

Strikers are protesting three main policies: solitary confinement, administrative detention, and the continuation of sanctions imposed before the release of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit. Sivan Weizman, a spokesman for the Israeli Prison Authority,” told reporters last week that prisoners privelages, such as family visits, would be revoked. Israel has not released any details of suspicions against its administrative detainees.

Physicians for Human Rights Anat Livin declared yesterday that the hunger strikers should be released to a public hospital saying that the prison is not equipped to handle such sever health deterioration. Jawad Boulous, head of the legal department at the Palestinian Prisoners club, said that the conditions of the Palestinian hunger strikers are “horrifying.” John Wight writes on the Huffington Post of his alarm that over half of the known Palestinian prisoners are on hunger strike and yet there has been “zero news coverage.” …more